Help me find match/likely colleges please!

College Search & Selection
1

I am a rising junior in the IB diploma. I am planning to double major in STEM related field and music. I really want to attend Stanford undergrad program.

Safety School: Auburn, UAB, SUCU, UA
Match School: Chicago, Brown, NYU
Reach School: MIT, Harvard, Stanford

SAT Score: 1580/1600
ACT Score: 35/36
GPA Unweighted: 4.0
GPA Weighted: 4.4 (I am currently sophomore and there is AP Class limit)
Rank: 4/626
AP: psychology (5), environmental (5), calculus ab (5), euro (5), statistic (5), physics 1 (5), computer science principle (5)
IB class next year: IB History, IB English, IB TOK

Science Olympiad: 5 years
Middle school science Olympiad coach for 2 years
Regionals medal: 13 gold medals
State: 14 gold medals, 6 silver medals
National: 1 national 3rd place medal
MIT Invitational: 1 gold medal

Science Fair: 4 years
Regional placement: 1st (2019, 2018, 2016)
State placement: 1st (2019), 2nd (2018)
Special Award (regional and state): Samuel Ginn Engineering Award, Energy scientist award, NASA energy recognition award, Metric System Award, Air Force award, Navy Award, Alabama energy cooperation award

ISEF Finalist (2018, 2019)
2019: second place overall winner in energy: chemical ($1500)

Debate: State Quarter-Finalist

PSVA: silver tier

2

Are you projecting your AP scores or did you complete all those AP tests last and previous years?

Not sure Chicago is a match as their acceptance rate was 5.9% this year and the same with Brown at 6.6%, so while you are a very strong candidate those can be reaches for almost anyone. What type of music are you interested in and what level are you at? I would consider Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, and U of Mich closer match schools that offer top dual degrees in stem and music, but your music level would need to be pretty high for their music schools. If you are more interested in STEM and would be ok just doing a music minor then a good match might be Ga Tech.

The other question is what is your financial situation? Do you need scholarships/finical aid or are your parents able to pay? This can effect what schools you want to look at.

3

Brown and UChicago are reaches. What can your family pay per year for college?

4

STEM and music with those stats means you should at least take a close look at the University of Rochester. It might not end up as your #1 choice, but then again, I’ve seen that happen with those loves combined. Merit money is possible there too.

5

A STEM and music combo would be great at elite LACs, which could be high matches or low reaches given your profile.

6

AP scores out already ? Already took SAT and ACT? OP just finished sophomore year?!

Yes, you have excellent academic numbers, rigorous courses , great ECs. So you are absolutely in the running for a spot at the most selective schools. There aren’t enough seats for everyone that is so qualified at those schools , so it comes firm to lottery tickets. No one can give you meaningful chances. After the strongly hooked seats are taken (development, legacy, athlete, diversity, celebrity, true outstanding researchers, faculty picks,etc) there aren’t that many places left. My friends DD was denied at Harvard, MIT,Columbia, Chicago(WL) Stanford, with a resume similar to yours and high proficiency, conservatory level, in a relatively rare instrument. NYU and Michigan were her top choices. No clue which she picked.

Assuming you can afford these sorts of schools or are eligible for Fin aid at them, do go through your list and ask if you can so double major. I know a young woman who was not permitted to double major at some schools’ STEM and music schools. Or it’s not encouraged and the logistics make it very difficult, close to impossible.

I agree the LACs a good match for you. Check a number of them out.

7

It’s not just change of major but dropping out too.